Coventry's Winter Night Shelter opens doors tonight

Coventry Winter Night Shelter is set to open up its doors across the city again from tonight.



Seven churches have signed up for this year’s project which aims to provide shelter, care and warmth to the city’s rough sleepers through the coldest winter nights.

The project first ran in Coventry last year and proved to be a big success.

Organisers said last year’s project provided a bed to more than 100 homeless people over the course of the winter – and hope this year’s could reach out to even more people in need.

The Bishop of Coventry, the Rt Rev Dr. Christopher Cocksworth, described the first winter shelter as “a phenomenal example of Coventry’s capacity to care”.

The 17-week long campaign is manned by a dedicated team of volunteers who work alongside the city council and the Salvation Army.

Nobby Clarke (pictured above), project co-ordinator, said: “I have been out with the team that visits the rough sleepers and it’s amazing to see the cross-section of humanity that’s out there and also the issues they face.

“For a lot of them it is a way of life they have been used to for too long and we are looking forward to working with the Salvation Army to persuade these guys to come to the shelter and not stay out in the cold.

“One of the big issues they face is the financial debt that they have got into and we are looking to set up a ‘moving on’ fund.

“We hope that this will enable people to pay off small debts that may be preventing them from taking up a proper tenancy.”

Nobby is also putting out an urgent appeal for a volunteer driver to help transport those making the most of the shelters across the city.

Helpers are particularly needed on a Friday night and Saturday morning.

Anyone wanting to volunteer can email coventrywinternightshelter@gmail.com.

Donations can also be made directly to Hope Coventry’s bank account – sort code 30-92-33 and account no. 63453568. Cheques can be made out to “Hope Coventry, CWNS” and sent to: Hope Coventry, c/o QRBC, Queens Road, Coventry, CV1 3EG.

For more information search for ‘Coventry Winter Night Shelter’ on Facebook.

Coventry Winter Night Shelter welcomes hundreds of homeless people

Coventry Winter Night Shelter has provided a warm bed for more than 300 rough sleepers in less than three weeks.

The annual project opened its doors on December 1 with seven churches offering shelter and warmth to the city’s homeless over a total of 17 weeks.

And despite only being in its second year, organisers believe that the need for the shelter is far greater than last year.

Nobby Clarke, project co-ordinator, said: “We have been pretty much packed out from the word go and the issues surrounding homelessness are clearly far greater this year than last.

“I suspect this is due to financial pressures which affect people that are living on the margins and these can force the numbers of homeless people up.

“We have already been able to help three or four move on to accommodation though and are interested in finding people who have property that they would be prepared to help us with by letting people stay who don’t necessarily seem to fit the system.

"Just being able to give someone a roof over their head is such a help.”

For more information email coventrywinternightshelter@gmail.com or search for ‘Coventry Winter Night Shelter’ on Facebook.

Coventry homeless project in need of cash boost

A project that offers shelter to Coventry’s homeless over Christmas is in dire need of money to help cover running costs.

Coventry Open Christmas has been inundated with offers of food and volunteers ahead of its opening at Queens Road Baptist Church on Christmas Eve –but needs extra money to keep afloat.

Visitors to the city centre church from December 24-29 will be offered somewhere to sleep at night, as well as food and drink.

Mike Parker, founder of Coventry Open Christmas, said: “We need the money to help pay the rent on the property and storage, and it is also good for us to have reserves to buy the stuff that we don’t get through donations.”

People can donate at the church on Monday or Tuesday from 12-5pm, or on Christmas Eve from 9am onwards.

Donations can also be handed to Clive Hemmings who run the fishmongers on Coventry Market.

Call 024 7666 4468 or visit http://www.coventryopenchristmas.co.uk for more details.